Ministers who participated in ‘Pro-rapist’ rallies had to go: Mehbooba to Modi

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said she had put the state police in a “do-or-die” mode to bring the culprits to book when the horrendous case of the rape and murder of an eight-year-old Kathua girl surfaced. In an interview to Kashmir Post, the CM, speaking on the case that brought the three-year-old PDP-BJP alliance to a breaking point, said now she was looking toward the judiciary for justice after the chargesheet had been filed and the accused were in jail. On whether she had served…

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Yashwant Sinha quits BJP, says Indian democracy is in danger

Yashwant Sinha said he is not an aspirant for any top post but will work towards “saving democracy in the country”. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre, announced on Saturday that he will end his long-time ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Stressing that “democracy is danger”, Sinha said in Patna he will launch a movement for “the restoration of democracy as it is vital for the country, its people and their freedom”. “I am taking…

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Cabinet clears ordinance for death penalty to child rapists, key features

The move seeking death penalty for child rapists comes after nationwide outrage over the brutal rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua and the alleged rape of a minor in Unnao. The Union cabinet on Saturday cleared a proposal to award the death penalty for those convicted of raping children below 12 years by amending the existing law. The government will make the changes to the law through an ordinance as Parliament is not in session. The move seeking the death penalty for child rapists comes in the backdrop of…

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Tourism properties, resorts ‘No-polythene zones’: Director Tourism Mehmood Shah

Use of polythene and disposable plastic at tourist destinations and properties in Jammu and Kashmir can now lead to cancellation of a violating operator’s license. A ban ordered by the government (No PLN/171/DTK/2660-69) directs tourism operators and stakeholders to stop use of non-biodegradable plastic in their properties failing which certificates of registration issued to them by the tourism department would be cancelled. “It shall be the duty of hotel keeper, houseboat owners, travel agents, shikara walas and tourist unit holders to ensure that polythene and disposable plastic is not allowed…

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Shift India’s capital abroad to hear PM Modi speak about country’s problems: Shiv Sena

Modi, who is currently in London, had spoken about the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua at an interaction with audience there. In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Shiv Sena on Friday said that the capital of India should be shifted outside the country, so that the PM makes statements on important issues. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the party said that PM Modi becomes a “mauni baba” when he is in India but speaks up on…

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Reopen all rape, murder cases in Kashmir since 1990: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Demanding exemplary punishment to the culprits in the gruesome rape and murder case of a minor girl of Kathua, chairman APHC Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said all the rape cases reported in Kashmir during past three decades including the mass rape of Kunan-Poshpora should be reopened and reinvestigated so that the guilty “roaming free” are brought to book. Addressing the Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid, here, the Mirwaiz urged the world human rights bodies to raise their voice against the brutal rapes and murders of Kashmiri women…

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India seems like nothing but a country of Crimes & Rapes: Bombay High Court

The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions concerning investigation into murders of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Kolhapur-based communist leader Govind Pansare. At a time when people across India are protesting against rapes in Kathua in Jammu and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday said “India seems to be nothing but a country of crimes and rapes.” “Today, when senior-most executives of the country go abroad, they are confronted with questions as to whether like-minded, liberal thinking, secular individuals are safe in India,” said…

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Forest Deptt raids medicinal plant factories belonging to close aides, relatives of BJP MLA Lal Singh

Former Minister gave licenses of factories to kith and kin A joint team of Forest Department and Police on Friday carried out surprise raids on the medicinal plant factories which belonged to former Minister and BJP MLA, Lal Singh’s, relatives and close aides. The Forest teams conducted raids on the medicinal plant factories in Kathua district. Sources told Kashmir Post that forest department employees were called on duty at Bahu Forest department’s office at 7 AM. “The mobile phones of the Forest Department employees were seized and they were sent…

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Snow, Rain in Kashmir bring back wintry cold

One of the heaviest spells of rain in the recent months along with snowfall in the higher reaches on Friday brought back wintry cold to the Kashmir valley and inundated roads in the summer capital. The rainfall began late Thursday night and continued throughout the day on Friday. The intensity of rainfall increased significantly in the afternoon hours and forced residents to rush to their homes. The region’s higher reaches, including Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir, also received light snowfall. The downpour is one of the…

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Omar Abdullah heckled in Berkeley, called ‘Criminal’

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was heckled and called “criminal” at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was invited for a conversation on Thursday to share his perspective on possible solutions to the Kashmir issue. Omar, who is in the US to attend the event organised by the Institute of South Asia Studies of the University of California Berkeley, faced a tough time as he was confronted with a protest by Kashmiri-Americans. “I want to take you to the International Criminal Court,” one of the woman protesters shouted at…

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